Dr. R. Freeda Blessie

Dr. Freeda Blessie R. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Processing Technology at Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences with over eight years of experience in teaching and research in Food and Agricultural Process Engineering. She holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Process Engineering, an M.Tech. in Agricultural Processing and Food Engineering, and a B.Tech. in Food Process Engineering from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU). She has received several academic distinctions, including the Thiru H.L. Dorai Award (Gold Medal) for Best Ph.D. Student, First Rank in M.Tech., and has qualified the ASRB-NET in Agricultural Process Engineering.

Her teaching expertise includes Food Process Calculations, Unit Operations in Food Process Engineering, Engineering Properties of Biological Materials, Heat and Mass Transfer, Food Material Science and Engineering, Drying Technology of Food Materials, Food Packaging Technology, Dairy Engineering and Technology, Mechanical Systems for Food Processing, and Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Cold Storage. She has actively contributed to curriculum development, student mentoring, research supervision, academic administration, and the implementation of innovative teaching practices.

Her research interests focus on Non-Thermal Food Processing (Cold Plasma Technology), Food Packaging with emphasis on edible, biodegradable, and sustainable materials, Plant-based Meat Alternatives, Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, and Protein Structure Modification. She has also contributed to patent development, including a published Indian patent on the preparation of biodegradable straws, and is a lifetime member of the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India) and an institutional member of the Indian Dairy Association.

Dr. Freeda Blessie has published research articles and book chapters in reputed national and international journals and edited volumes. Her scholarly contributions span non-thermal food processing, cold plasma technology, food packaging, biopolymer-based edible coatings, solar drying, food preservation, nanocellulose from agricultural waste, waste biomass utilization, nanomaterials, ozone applications in food processing, nutraceuticals, and horticultural crop bioactive compounds, demonstrating her continued contributions to sustainable food processing and food engineering.